Incubator



Dec. 26, 1939. E. 'r. BRACE 2,134,635

/ INCUBA'IOR Filed Dec. 31, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. T. BRACE Dec. 26, 1939.

INCUBATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 31, 1934 -JMQ EDWINT. BRACE,

mm m w 66E v 9 Dec. 26, 1939.

INCUBATOR Filed Dec. 51,

E. T. BRACE 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 26, 1939 INCUBATOB Edwin T. Brace, Springfield, Ohio, assignor to Buckeye Incubator Company, Springfield, Ohio; a corporation of Delaware Application December 31, 1934, Serial No. 759,853

3 Claims. (Cl. l1937) This invention relates to improvements to incubators for hatching chicks. The invention comprises an apparatus or incubator.

The following are the principal objects of the apparatus branch of the invention:

(a) To assemble all, or essentially all, of the instrumentalitis which form the mechanism of the incubator in one group or body contained in one compartment, in the nature of a control compartment, so that when the machine is'being built these active parts may all be assembled in one unit or removable part of the apparatus; the removability of such control compar'tment being also useful in making repairs or permanent adjustments of any of the mecha- -nism contained in it.

(b) To place the fan which creates air drafts or currents near the rear side of the incubator chamber, and to direct the air drafts through a space or compartment in front of the trays, with a foraminous or perforated wall between such space and the front ends of the racks or trays for the eggs, whereby the volume of air currents will be broken into numerous sprays or jets of air in passing through the perforated wall and on between the trays and among the eggs, passing thence into a rear space and thence to an exit opening where a part of the air escapes.

(c) To utilize the velocity energy of the moving air currents in creating a presure energy within this front space, from which the air tray-- els in jets amongst the eggs.

(d) To utilize the perforated wall or baille to keep the chicks in the trays from escaping into this forward space.

(e) To provide a screen closure at the rear of I of the mechanism, some in section and some in elevation. See line i-l of Figure 4.

Figure 2 is a front view of the apparatus with the front door of the incubating chamber swung open, showing the trays and the wire screen which prevents the chicks from getting out of the trays, with the bailie door partly open.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a part of one of the egg trays taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing a perforated plate with enlarged openings to receive the eggs and forming a crate, and

with a wire gauze bottom to allow the air jets 3 to move up into contact with the eggs.

. Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view'of Fig. I

1 on the line 44 of Figure 1, showing the control compartment and the interior mechanism essentiall in plan view.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing the water inlet passageways in vertical section, the view being taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of the 15 instrument compartment, taken on the line 66 of Figure 4.

Figure '1 is a transverse section across Fig. 4 on the line 'I-l showing the instrument draw er, the heater and the fan and some other de- 20 tails.

25 Figure 9 is .a detail view taken on the line 8-9 of Figure 2 showing the exhaust opening in one end of the control compartment, and a a portion of the valve device for controlling the exhaust and inletopenings.

Figure 10 is a partial detail sectional view of so the shaft and arms used to reciprocate the egg trays, taken on the line ll|lll of Figure 3.

As to the drawings, I will first refer to the casing of the apparatus as a whole, and will then describe the controlcompartment and its contained mechanism. 7

The numeral I designates front, rear and side walls of the cabinet, that portion of the front wall designated in constituting the front door, consisting of a general frame and a panel 2 preferably of glass. The bottom of the cabinet is indicated at 3 and the top at 4. This'top and a horizontal partition 5 with a portion of the back wall 1 and a removable front wall 6 constitute the control compartment in which is removably mounted a general frame to which the mechanism is attached. This frame comprises the front wall 6, a rear end-wall l and upper and lower strips 8 and 9 secured to these end .walls.

The mechanism located in or connected to this control compartment includes an adjustable closure II for the air inlet II. This comprises a disc adapted to fit over the inlet opening to closeitandtobeadjustediromtheopeningto allow the inflow of fresh air. A rod I2 carries an adjusting nut l3 and a spring l4, so that by rotating the rod by the knurled head l5, the rod will be advanced back and forth through the action of its screw thread It working in a threaded opening, say in the bracket l1 secured 'to the front wall 5.

On the end I of the control compartment is mounted the electric motor I!) and the fan 20.

The frame 2i is secured to the end of the control compartment in any suitable manner, as by clips 22, so as to secure the motor and fan to the control compartment. This end I of the control compartment has a large opening I 8 for the passage of the air currents from the fan. Essentially in the path of these air currents is mounted on the control compartment, through brackets 23, a ring 24 which carries the heating element 25 composed preferably of wire coils or springs. See Figs. 4 and 7 particularly. These heaters are connected with wires constituting current conductors as will be explained later.

At the other end of the control compartment, the left, in Figs. 1 and 4, is mounted a bracket 26, which supports a thermostat shaft 28, the setting or adjustment of whichcontrols the degree of electric heat that is transmitted through the wire conduit to the heaters 25. Any suitable thermostat will answer this purpose. I have illustrated 'a conventional type comprising a fixed contact 21 and a threaded shaft 28 carrying a conventional thermostat 29, having a contact point 21a. A knurled thumb nut 30, accessible from the outside of the machine, and having a pointer 3| which registers with a dial 32 is used to setthe thermostat to the desired temperature to be imparted to the air by the heaters 25.

To determine the temperature within the contral compartment, which would indicate the general temperature condition, I provide a thermometer 33, mounted on the control compartment, as indicated in Fig. 2. This thermometer'includes a pipe 34 which extends sumciently far in the control compartment to give a correct reading of the temperature therein, and, therefore, a substantially correct temperature reading in the incubating chamber, which is in communication with the control or instrument cabinet.

I further provide a moisture determining thermometer indicated at 35 in Figures 1 and 2. A bracket device 31 is provided to support an absorbing wick 38, as also to support-a water bottle 38.

The wick extends into the bottle and hence the thermometer 35, with these other parts here named, constitutes as an entirety a wet bulb thermometer; a comparison of the readings of thermometer 35 with the readings of thermometer 33 will indicate the humidity in the incubator. The pan is mounted so that its bottom will occupy an inclined position, so that the area of water surface exposed to the air will vary according to the quantity of water admitted to the pan. A supply of water for the pan comprises a bottle or other vessel 4| and a supply pipe 42 with a control valve 43 which by manipulation will-let the water flow from the vessel 4| to the pan and also enable the flow to be cut oil. A vent 4la facilitates the flow of water from 4|. A bracket 4") secured to the front wall 5 of the control compartment, supports the water bottle 4| and its pipe 42. The amount of water in the pan determines the extent of the area of the water surface and thus the rate of evaporation which may in this way be varied to suit any local condition by manipulation of valve 43.

Referring to the electric wiring, that shown is merely illustrative, as any arrangement of wiring the builder or user may prefer may be used so long as the motor is supplied with current to enable it to rotate the fan, say at about 1800 R. P. M. to create the air currents and drive these currents over the heaters 25 and the water in the pan 40, to give the air the requisite temperature and moisture content.

Referring now to the incubator chamber indicated at 44, it is equipped with a requisite number of egg trays 35 having wire gauze or other foraminous bottoms 36a to admit the free circulation of air. The trays are also equipped with slidable egg holders 45 having spaces 46 between wires 46a adapted to receive the eggs. When these egg holders are slid back and forth they will cause the eggs to roll by reason of their lower sides engaging the stationary foraminous bottoms while the egg holders move and roll the eggs.

The means for reciprocating the egg holders consists of plates 41, each plate being secured to one egg holder, the plates extending to arms 48 mounted on a vertical operating shaft 49 and clamped by nuts 49a. When this shaft is rotated by a suitable crank 50, it will cause the arms 48 to swing and adjust the egg holders to one or the other of their positions in which the eggs are rolled. In order to depress the shaft 49, so as to disconnect the arms 48 from the plates 41, the slotted collar 49b is swung round to bring its slot 490 under the set screw 49d in line with such slot. Then the shaft 49 can be depressed against the resistance of the spring 49e. When so depressed it will disengage the rods 48 from the plates 41. Then the arms 48 can be swung outward to the left as seen in Figure 8 to permit opening the foraminous door 54. The trays are supported on strips 5| supported by posts 52.

In the space between the trays and the front door la, which space receives the air currents as they flow from the fan and enter through" the openings 53 in the drawer and 53a. in the partition 5, is positioned an inner door 54, hinged at 55, as seen in Figure 8. The plates 41 pass through the openings 54a in this door 54 while the air currents which enter the space find their exit through the remainder of the perforations 54b in the form of jets of air.

These jets move rapidly through the space between. the trays and in and amongst the eggs which they reach through the foraminous bottoms of the egg trays. These jets continue in their rapid course until they reach the rear of the trays and pass through the foraminous or wire gauze partition 56 whence they return to the drawer through the opening 51. They are then taken by the fan 20 and blown thence over their course in the control compartment. Fresh air enters through the opening I I (Fig. 4) and a part of the air exhausts through the opening Ila shown best in Figure 9. In this way the air supply is kept fresh by the adjusted quantity which enters and the adjusted quantity-which exhausts.

It will be noted from Figure 8 that the front door la is hinged at lb, so that both it and the baiiie door 54 may be swung outward on their respective. hinges lb and 55. It will be observed from Figure 2 that the door la is standing swung entirely open while the door 54 is standing but partlallyswung open.

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It will be seen from Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 8'at a and b, that we have placed at each side of the trays a wall or plate. It operates to prevent the chicks from getting out of the trays at each side of such trays. They are prevented from leaving the trays at the rear by the foraminous wall It and from leaving the front by the bailie door 54. These plates (1 and b may be of metal or other material.

It will be noted from the foregoing description, read in connection with the drawings, that the objects and features of this incubator set forth in the object designated a is fully carried out and realized in the control compartment where the active instrumentalities are located.

It will be observed also that by the operation described with reference to the air currents passing through. the foraminous baiiie door in the form of jets of air and moving thence amongst the eggs and between the trays, the particular object indicated in paragraph b of the'objects of the invention is .carried out. and realized; and further that the object set forth in paragraph c withreference to utilizing the velocity energy of the moving air currents in creating a pressure energy within the air-receiving chamber or space in the incubator proper is realized.

It will also be noted that the object set forth in paragraph d referring to the perforated baiiie wall functioning to keep the chicks in the trays is realized by the relative position of such baiile wall 54 and the trays, or such of them as are used for the eggs in the hatching stage.

Again, it will be seen that the foraminous wall 56 located near the rear of the egg trays functions in a manner to carry into effect the objects set forth in paragraph e of the objects.

I desire to comprehend within my invention with trays therein, an air space, a control unit insertable in the receiving compartment and carrying a motor and fan, a heating element, a water pan, and valve devices to control the inlet and outlet of air into and out of the apparatus, and a foraminous wall adapted to receive air currents from said air space and to convert them into air jets distributed amongst the trays and the eggs therein and a further foraminous wall adjacent the trays.

3. In an incubator, an incubating chamber and a series of egg trays therein, a ioraminous baiile wall between the trays and an air pressure space, such wall being adapted to convert air passing therethrough into distributed air jets directed to move among the egg trays and contact with the contained eggs and an air conditioning and conveying means comprising a removable control compartment having therein heating means, humidifying means, wet .bulb and drybulb thermometer means, fan means, and an aperture leading into the top of the. air pressure space, whereby conditioned air may be delivered downwardly to said air pressure space.

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